Homepage Canonical Tag
Canonical tags tell search engines the preferred URL version. Missing or misconfigured canonicals can cause duplicate content issues.
What It Measures
Validates homepage canonical tag presence and correct configuration
Detection Method
Extracts <link rel="canonical"> from homepage and validates host matches store domain
Why This Matters to You
Shopify Agencies
Critical technical SEO issue requiring immediate attention.
SEO App Builders
Perfect candidate for automated canonical tag management.
General App Builders
Technical problem that may require developer intervention.
Theme Developers
Theme-level issue that often needs theme update or replacement.
Scoring Breakdown
Missing
No canonical tag found on homepage
Wrong Host
Canonical points to different domain
Real-World Examples
Good Example
Homepage URL: https://example.com/
Canonical tag: <link rel="canonical" href="https://example.com/">
✓ Canonical tag present
✓ Points to same domain
✓ Proper duplicate content protection
Bad Example
No canonical tag found
✗ Missing canonical (-6 points)
✗ Vulnerable to duplicate content issues
Homepage URL: https://mystore.com/
Canonical: https://old-domain.com/
✗ Wrong host canonical (-10 points)
✗ Tells search engines to index wrong domain
✗ Critical configuration error
Related SEO Factors
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What is a canonical tag and why does it matter?
A canonical tag tells search engines which URL is the 'official' version when multiple URLs have similar/identical content. It's critical for preventing duplicate content penalties and ensuring link equity flows to the correct URL.
Why is a wrong-host canonical so severe (-10 points)?
If your canonical points to a different domain, you're literally telling search engines to ignore your page and index the other domain instead. This can happen after domain migrations or when copying themes from other stores. It's a critical error.
Does Shopify automatically add canonical tags?
Yes, Shopify themes should include canonical tags by default. If they're missing, it's usually due to theme customization or errors. We check that they exist and point to the correct domain.
What about www vs non-www?
As long as the canonical is on the same root domain, we don't flag this. Shopify handles www canonicalization at the server level. We only penalize if the canonical points to a completely different domain.